In This Issue
Important Dates for MU
CMS Posts 2014 EP Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Annual Update
Getting Ready to Submit MU Stage 2?
How Do New Proposed CMS MU Changes Affect You?
Proposed Delays in 2014 EHR Requirements
FREE Webinars
PQRS New Eligibility and Reporting Options
EP Can Submit Hardship Exception and Get MU Incentive
Report One Time for Multiple Medicare Quality Reporting Programs
Small Physician Practices - Need Help with ICD-10 Transition?
See All HTS Services
Health IT Resources
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FOR EHR MEANINGFUL USE INCENTIVES

      

 

July 1, 2014 

Medicare eligible professionals must submit hardship exception applications to avoid the upcoming Medicare payment adjustment for the 2015 reporting year

 

 

July 1, 2014

Last day for eligible professionals starting Medicare EHR Incentive Program for the first time in 2014, to start their 90-day reporting period to avoid Medicare payment adjustment

 

July 3, 2014
Last day for eligible hospitals (including CAHs) to begin their 90-day reporting period to demonstrate Meaningful Use for 2014 fiscal year

 

September 30, 2014

End of 2014 fiscal year and end of the 2014 reporting period for eligible hospitals

 

October 1, 2014
Last day for new eligible professional meaningful users to attest to 2014 data and avoid the 2015 payment adjustment
 
November 30, 2014
Attestation deadline for Medicare eligible hospitals for the 2014 program year
  
December 31, 2014
End of 2014 calendar year and end of the 2014 reporting period for eligible professionals
 

See Complete CMS MU Timeline 

 

  ********************

FOR ICD-10

 

October 1, 2015 

Transition date from ICD-9 to ICD-10 codes for diagnoses and inpatient procedures.

  

CMS Posts 2014 Eligible Professional Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Annual Update

 

 

Read the details

  

 Getting Ready to Submit Stage 2 MU Data for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program? 

 

 

If so, CMS has recently posted the following step-by-step guides to help navigate the CMS 

Attestation System 

 

 

CMS Attestation Guide

Enjoy Spring from Health Technology Services

Deb Anderson 

Susan Clarke

Lisa Corino

Mary Erickson

Patty Kosednar

Sarah Leake

Sharon Milanos

Issue #21 

       June, 2014   
 EHR and Health IT Perspectives Newsletter   
          
 Welcome to the Montana/Wyoming Health Technology Service's (HTS) EHR and Health IT Perspectives Newsletter. 
  How Do the New Proposed CMS Meaningful Use Changes Affect You?   

CMS is proposing changes to the Meaningful Use program for 2014 reporting. If you are experiencing delays in implementing your 2014 EHR functionality, you may have MU reporting alternatives.

 

Read the Proposed CMS Ruling   

  

Please contact Health Technology Services for more information

Proposed Delays in 2014 EHR Requirements

 Don't breathe too big a sigh of relief!  CMS proposed changes may only delay 2014 EHR requirements until fiscal/calendar year 2015.
 
What does this mean to you?  Hospitals will need 2014 EHR software implemented by October 1, 2014.  Providers will need 2014 EHR software implemented by January 1, 2015 for a full year of MU reporting (if not in your first year of MU).
 
Please contact Health Technology Services for recommendations on how to navigate the MU reporting and hardship exemption options.

  

Read about the CMS hardship exemptions

FREE Webinars

  

Tuesday, June 17, 1:30-3 pm ET

CMS National Call-PQRS: 2014 Qualified Clinical Data Registry

* Overview of new 2014 QCDR reporting method that will satisfy PQRS requirements

register here

Wednesday, June 18, 1-2 pm MDT

Health Technology Services-EHR and Patient Safety 

* Realistic look at the effect EHRs are having on patient safety through a review of available literature and feedback from Montana nurses and providers


register here

Wednesday, June 25, 1:30-3 pm ET 

CMS National Call-

New Medicare PPS for Federally Qualified Health Centers: Operational Requirements

*Overview of operational requirements of the new payment system


register here

 

See our HTS webinar archive for a listing of past webinars

  

PQRS - New Eligibility and Reporting Options 

 

Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) Eligible Professionals MUST attest in 2014 for to avoid Medicare penalties!!!

  

PQRS Eligible Professionals include Doctors, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Social Workers, Therapists and more.  Providers in Critical Access Hospital clinics that bill using Method II billing are also now eligible for incentives and penalties. 

 

Access a copy of the PQRS List of Eligible Professionals.

 

There are new reporting requirements and options for 2014 PQRS.    We can help you navigate through the changes and recommend the best approach to PQRS for your practice.  Contact HTS for more information.

 

  Eligible Professionals Can Submit a Hardship Exception and Get a MU Incentive  

CMS clarified that "A hardship exception does not preclude an eligible professional from attesting and obtaining an incentive payment, if he or she is able to successfully meet Meaningful Use.

 

If an eligible professional has been granted a hardship exception, he or she does not need to withdraw the hardship exception application, or notify CMS in order to attest to Meaningful Use."

  

Need help with Meaningful Use?  Contact HTS for more details 

Report One Time for Multiple Medicare Quality Reporting Programs  

If you are participating in multiple Medicare quality reporting programs in 2014, there is a new interactive CMS tool that will help you understand how to submit your quality data one time only to earn credit for more than one quality program.

 

CMS Interactive Tool

  

Need help?  Contact HTS for more details 

 Small Physician Practices - Need Help with Your ICD-10 Transition? 

 

CMS has just released Road to 10 - an online resource built with the help of providers in small practices. This tool is intended to help small medical practices jumpstart their ICD-10 transition.

 

Road to 10 includes specialty references and gives providers the capability to build ICD-10 action plans tailored for their practice needs.

 
Additional HTS Services 

Let Health Technology Services assist you with your HIT needs, from EHR selection/implementation to meaningful use and beyond.  Our HIT services also include: 

  • New 2014 MU HTS Tiered Service Offerings and Discounted Prices for all Current and Previous HTS Clients
  • New 2014 HTS Security Risk Analysis Service Level Offerings and Discounted Prices for all Current and Previous HTS Clients
  • HIT Consulting and Project Management
  • PQRS Reporting Assistance
  • HSMDirect Secure Messaging

 

 Contact your HTS REC Health Technology Consultant for help or 

contact HealthTechnology Services 
See more at about these services on our website

Health IT Resources (Links)
eHealth University
eHealth University is a CMS tool to help providers find information and materials on each of the eHealth programs in one location.  
Meaningful Use
New CMS Guide for Eligible Professionals practicing in multiple locations   
Wyoming eHealth Partnership
ONC launches new eHealth resource site to help providers effectively engage patients in choosing how they want their electronic patient health information shared.  
MT HIMSS
MT Chapter of HIMSS is a local resource for peer networking, education, and information sharing to help navigate through the challenges in healthcare information technology with a focus in large rural areas.
Thank you for reading our newsletter.  Please contact us if you have any questions or comments. We also welcome your feedback. 
Thank You!                     

 

Patty Kosednar

Executive Director

Health Technology Services, MT/WY Regional Extension Center

...a division of Mountain-Pacific Quality Health

406-461-4410

www.heathtechnologyservice.com